Planetary Marine Corps
The Planetary Marine Corps were the primary infantry branch of the Gauss Dominion Planetary Marines, for which they were named. Their branch existed as a sort of baseline branch. Though there were more unique specialized forces such as the Go'shii Ranger Corps, Shadow Ranger Corps (both of whom were direct graduates from planetary marines) Cauldarion Knights and many others which would recruit from, the Planetary Marine training was the baseline from which all other divisions originated. Training Training took place over a minimum four year cycle. The training consisted of extremely rigorous physical and mental conditioning. Applicants were trained in survival, medicine, hand-to-hand combat, marksmanship, and squad tactics to the highest degree, being given a highly regulated diet, sleep schedule and exercise routine. After this grueling two year cycle, most of the critical information that any applicant needed to be trained in would begin to peak in their physical prowess. With their body pushed to the limit of what it could develop naturally and having learned most of the basics of combat, trainees would be put through three tests. The first test involved being shuttled while sedated to a random remote location on a random planet and being forced to find ones way back to civilization. The candidate would be monitored via drone to ensure their safety. The second test was a combat exercise. A squad based combat scenario, often with a challenge such as to capture an objective. The third and final test being more formal, was a written, oral and practical test of technical military knowledge, weapons operation and tactics. Applicants would preform tasks such as cleaning and maintaining weapons and power armor. Candidates had to pass the third test, but there was some leniency on the first and second tests, if they came close to passing or demonstrated skill or courage, They would graduate, being selected to undergo the array of augments required to become a planetary marine. This procedure was expensive, even for baseline marines and the military was only willing to invest in dedicated marines. Those that failed would be sent to repeat aspects of the training they had not yet mastered and be re-tested, provided they did not drop out. Upon completing augmentation and allowed a brief adaptation period training would continue. With the trainee now able to endure many days without sleep and having augmented strength, senses, and speed, and reaction time doubled or tripled, the intensity of the training would increase greatly, often with several days of physical exercises, drills and training sessions held back-to-back; with the objective being to squeeze every ounce of performance out of the trainee and their augments. Some of the more esoteric and unique training would now take place. Trainees would be required to learn Go'shii battle meditation from a certified priest, a meditation form which taught one to remain calm even in the most dire of circumstances, resist pain, and to react subconsciously to combat situations. The effectiveness of this training would be tested by a Mediocine Overseer Guard who would assault candidates with horrific illusions, mental and emotional manipulation, which they could only resist if they had fully mastered the meditation form. Trainees would also learn to handle their power armor, becoming familiar with it such that it did not hinder them; and become familiar with coordinating with KR1 infantry units; developing an extremely intimate knowledge of how the units would react in combat situations. They would also study extensively in squad combat with other organics. Upon completion of this training the trainees would be re-tested. The original three tests would be repeated with a higher degree of difficulty and complexity. In addition to a fourth test; that being the confrontation with the overseer guard. The trainee would be given a set of numbers to memorize. The overseer would try to either learn the numbers through reeding the mind of the trainee or erase or corrupt their memory of the numbers. If they could survive the overseer's onslaught and memorize the numbers correctly, then they would pass. This test, like the third was pass/fail and any sign of failure meant that the trooper was not ready for combat. If the trainee should fail any of these tests they will be sent back for more training in the relevant areas before being re-tested. Armor Though the armor came in several variations and patterns, the planetary marines' armor was all based off the same frame. The armor was comprised of a Nanomesh coated Varbon-fiber body glove resistant to extreme temperatures, biological, chemical and radiological hazards, this glove was resistant to stabs and small arms. Over top of this was a Mazunsium-composite exoskeleton. Resistant to extreme temperatures able to partially prevent the slagging effect caused by liquid light or plasma based weapons, as well as corrosive chemical hazards, this exoskeleton was extremely strong; able to resist assault and armor piercing weapons. Dedicated anti-material weapons were needed to breach this exoskeleton. The armor came with an extensive sensor suite and direct neural interface, containing sonar, radar and full EM coverage, and connection ports in the palms of the hands to power high-end weaponry. All variations of the armor came with a retractable mask and fully enclosed life support system, as well as hardened encrypted comm system directly linked to nearby KR1 units. Linked to a neural interface this allowed marines to communicate to their KR1 units with their thoughts. The armor increased the strength of the wearer. Containing an inbuilt micro-reactor in the middle of the back and powerful servos the armor could lift around five tons, and allow the wearer to shoulder through even reinforced walls. The armor would also come equipped with a jet pack allowing short hops of flight, though some variants allowed for sustained flight or exchanged the jet pack for other systems. This powerful micro-reactor did present a weakness as if it was damaged it could cause the power armor to quickly lose power, though emergency power cells were located throughout the body. The power armor had a redundant analogue mode. Though it was EMP hardened this allowed the wearer to bypass advanced computer systems, using a basic switching system to allow movement. Movement in this mode was comparatively clunky, but far preferable to being stuck. Weapons The Planetary Marines had a very broad arsenal of weaponry at their disposal, suited to their wide range of mission profiles. GCZ-7 Accelerator Rifle The GCZ-7 7mm rifle is the standard power armor rifle of the planetary marine corps, and is so named as it is a miniaturized accelerator gun. It is designed to pierce a marines' own power armor or an armored courdeel construct with ease, being far more powerful than an independent rifle thanks to its connection port on the grip helping to supply power and provide a hard uplink for sensory data. This port could also connect to a KR1 Robotic infantry unit. GCZ-9 Accelerator Rifle The GCZ-9 is an enhanced GCZ-7 made larger and longer. Its rounds were much more powerful and have even better armor piercing qualities, and excellent accuracy. It was given to marines with exceptional shooting skills to act as snipers. This high powered rifle fired slowly due to its power drain, and had a power port to connect to the armor. MB-1 Missile Launcher The MB-1 Missile launcher is the primary anti-tank missile launcher for the GDPMC. It features lock-on and a link to the marine's It holds two missiles which can be fired in quick succession or independently. The missiles would be fired in a staggered pattern precisely timed to a tiny fraction of a second, one flying directly behind the other, such that the first missile would conceal the second in its rocket stream. If the enemy employed countermeasures the idea was that first missile would be eliminated and the second would carry on to hit the target. The MB-1 featured an armor connection port, not so much because it needed power but because it shared a large amount of data with the armor and functioned as a safety to prevent enemies from using the weapon. LL-99 Dual-Mode Rifle The LL-99 is an experimental dual-mode rifle which can fire both Liquid Light and a Protophoton Beam using the same photonic emitter array, and saw a limited-run use against the Courdeel and New Ascendancy. The weapon is extremely effective as the liquid light can be rapid fired for extreme damage at close range, or can be converted to protophoton mode to fire a high energy beam reaching extreme ranges that can melt even Cauldarion Knight armor. However accurate and deadly this beam had the effect of fully draining the weapons' capacitors requiring several seconds to recharge off the power armor's reactor, as well as overheating the weapon. The weapon, due to being experimental was known to have quirks and to occasionally malfunction rendering one or both modes inoperable. GCZ-5 / GCZ-4 The GCZ line of sidearms are more commonly used by the navy, but serve as reliable sidearms to infantry as well. Being far less powerful than the power-port variety of weapons, but still far more powerful than similarly-sized real world firearms. These weapons did have a PID scanner and relied soley on Lumium power cells. GCZ-6 The GCZ 6 has earned the nickname the "Pea Shooter" for its inability to go through armor or do significant damage. Though it is accurate at long ranges, very reliable and rugged and very lightweight. Like the GCZ sidearms it has a PID checker and relies on Lumium power cells. It is used by navy personel primarily for shipboard security, and armored vehicle personel should they be forced to abandon their vehicle. LL-5 Liquid Light Pistol The LL-5 is a sidearm which instead of firing a kinetic projectile fired a large droplet of liquid light. This liquid light was devastating, able to melt off limbs and slag power armor in a single shot. But the weapons were prohibitively short range and very inaccurate. the LL5 in particular doubly so, also occasionally being dangerous to the user due to overheating and its low ammo capacity (only about a dozen shots), only holding about a dozen shots before needing a recharge. However when compared to a GCZ sidearm, which most augmented individuals had a good chance of surviving a hit to the torso or limb from, a liquid light weapon was much more threatening in a close quarters standoff. LL-7 Light Carbine The favorite weapon of the Mediocine Shock Troopers the LL-7 does even more damage than the LL-5, able to vaporize large chunks out of armor. Planetary Marines or Naval Security will sometimes employ this weapon as well as it is very effective in close quarters. It is not as dangerous, slightly more accurate and less prone to overheating with a much better charge thanks to a pair of Lumium power cells good for about 100 shots. LL-44 Chakrum Pistol The LL-44 is a much more advanced version of the LL-5. The LL-44 is a weapon exclusive to Go'shii rangers and a few select marines, through which the weapon would not activate unless connected to the power port of the armor of an authorized user. Employing more advanced components and manufacturing techniques in its construction, making it much more expensive and coveted. These manufacturing techniques lead it to (while still being short ranged, as the liquid light droplet will evaporate as it traveled through the air) very accurate and reliable, and the armor uplink gave it essentially unlimited firing. This was not all the weapon had to offer however. While being held the weapon would charge a rapid-discharge capacitor, and when thrown it would remain linked to the armor and the neural connection to the user for a few seconds. In this time it could activate (or de-activate) a hardlight blade which encircled the weapon as well as internal micro-gravity generators that allowed its trajectory to be tweaked and manipulated in midair. When turned on the blade could slice apart enemies, and when turned off it could ricochet the weapon off walls. This attack was absolutely devastating, particularly when properly utilized by Go'shii rangers who would quad-wield the weapons and had the reflexes and concentration to properly utilize this feature, an entire room full of enemies could be cleared almost instantly. Of course without millisecond timing, concentration and coordination this attack could fail and the weapon could lose power to its internal capacitor before it could bounce back to the hand of the user. As such a lot of training was dedicated to proper usage of this attack. Preliminary Intelligence Aerial Recon (PIAR) drone. The PIAR drone is able to dock to the back of a marine's armor, and fold up its thrusters, and would be connected to their neural interface allowing direct communication between the users' brain and the drone allowing for quick administration of orders, much like a KR1. The drone could be used to scout out things at short range, being very maneuverable and able to avoid enemy fire via a handful of evasion protocols. The drone could carry a small number of things in two clamps on its bottom. Sometimes it would be used to carry and arm a pair of grenades and drop them into enemy positions that were otherwise out of range. Other times they could be used to fly additional ammo or small supply packages between outposts and marines guarding or fighting in specific locations. MTG-1 Contact Detonation Grenade The Contact Detention Device is a baton style grenade. When armed a number of spikes would extend from the grenade. Then when these spikes made contact they would trigger the detonation. This blast generated intense heat that could melt armor and.